Page 56 of Nothing to Deny

His dirty hands were raised like a doctor waiting for surgical gloves.

“I had papers to sign,” she said.

“Cool,” he said and slanted his head to the side. “Come this way.”

The guys stopped, which stalled Baer.

“You’re taking her to the locker room?” Donoghue asked.

That warranted all focus tracking to Conrad.

“I won’t let her touch anything,” Baer said.

The guys laughed.

“I don’t think she’ll mind starting early if she paid for the night,” another voice said.

Irritation ticked Baer’s jaw.

Her mood differed, she smiled and descended in a bounce, aiming for light and frivolous. “Conrad can add it to my bill,” she said, crossing the room to a soundtrack of whoops and whistles.

She didn’t look at Baer, just headed the way he’d indicated until he nudged her toward a specific door.

Inside the swish space, individual full-height wooden lockers, thick carpet and benches, suggested high-class country club. At the end was an open archway with racks of clothes, opposite was another arch, this time to showers.

Baer went to a locker. “You’re okay with them talking like that?” he asked as she got to work unbuckling his jeans so he wouldn’t have to use his grease smeared fingers.

“Yes, because it doesn’t mean anything,” she said. “It’s teasing.” Dropping his pants, she was careful about picking off his tee-shirt. Despite its dirty smudge, she was careful not to mark it further as she hooped it over his hands. “Just like I’ll have to get used to being the cock-hungry bunny boiler around the people in your life, you’ll have to get used to people in my life assuming you’re all about the money.”

“Baby—”

“Can I get you a towel?”

“There are towels in the shower room,” he said. “Lil’, look at me.”

“No,” she said, unwilling to lift her head.

“If I touch you, I’ll get this grease all over you and you’ll have to hit the shower with me.”

Not smart because they’d be naked and wet… and touching.

What choice did she have?

She elevated her chin. “I don’t want to look at you because you’re going to say something to reassure me either about the cock-hungry thing or the money thing.”

Baer shook his head. “I won’t reassure you about the cock-hungry thing. Cock-hungry works great for me, Lil’.” Okay, this was Baer. Wonderful, sweet, sexy-hot Baer, she could relax. “But the money—”

“I don’t want you to reassure me.” Not like this was her first time on this particular train. “If you’re all about the money, then you’re all about the money. And if you need me to give you money, I will… I can’t make you care about me. I figured that out about guys long ago. Either this works out, or it doesn’t, words don’t matter, actions matter.”

Was that her version of reassuring him? Did it count?

“So if I just adore you…”

Grinning, she nodded, her hair fluttering against her back. “Yes, that would be perfect. Thank you.”

“Okay,” he said and stepped back to nod downwards. “Want to finish the job for me?”

“You sure?” she asked. He crooked a brow in assent. “I put on this pretty dress for you, you know.”

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